NetEase's urban open-world RPG, "Project Mugen," will launch globally on January 15, 2027. It will be free-to-play and available on PC, PS5, and mobile devices, with unified versions for both domestic and international markets. The project was first unveiled under a codename in August 2023. After a development period of 1,097 days, global pre-registrations have surpassed 17 million across more than 110 countries and regions.
Recently, "Project Mugen" revealed its new main city, Chongxiao. The city's design blends the urban landscapes of Shanghai and Hangzhou, integrating modern metropolitan areas, Jiangnan old streets, and mountainous scenery. This city is also the protagonist's hometown, with the plot revolving around their return to their roots and encounters with old acquaintances, creating a sharp narrative contrast with the modernized city of "Xinqi."
The developers stated that each city will provide no less than 100 hours of gameplay content, and players can travel freely between the two cities, "Chongxiao" and "Xinqi." The protagonist has bonds with childhood friends and neighbors in Chongxiao, and returning to their hometown will trigger new storylines.
Players will grow as internet influencers, handling various urban events to accumulate fan reputation, which unlocks more companions and exploration areas. Featured characters have diverse professional identities such as police officers, hackers, and drivers, offering different perspectives on missions. The development team has confirmed that the official release will include an optional female protagonist, with current efforts focused on refining and optimizing her visual details.
"Project Mugen's" combat system draws inspiration from kung fu films. The Chongxiao city area features numerous Eastern martial arts-style moves with swords, blades, fists, and feet, incorporating blocking, counter-attacking, and combo systems. Transportation methods are more life-like, adding shared bicycles, electric scooters, and boats as means of travel. The developers stated that the current combat completion level has met their internal standards. The initial launch is expected to offer approximately 100 hours of gameplay content. The company will not conduct large-scale public beta tests, opting only for internal confidential testing to avoid spoiling the plot and diminishing player freshness.
The monetization model is the game's biggest highlight. It completely eliminates the traditional gacha system common in anime-style games, allowing all playable characters to be obtained for free by progressing through the story. Paid content is limited to costumes, vehicle skins, and home decorations, with most cosmetic items also purchasable using in-game currency. Payments do not affect combat stats or power levels. By abandoning the core gacha revenue stream typical of anime games, the main storyline is no longer constrained by character update cycles. However, revenue heavily relies on user retention and cosmetic spending, making its future commercial performance a subject of close industry scrutiny.
The developers have confirmed that "Project Mugen" will receive long-term operational support for at least seven years after launch, with continuous updates to quests, characters, maps, and other content. The content roadmap is expected to extend until 2034.